‘Devastating impact’ on rural areas over delayed farmer subsidies

Farmers should not have to pay the price for the SNP’s “shambolic handling” of distributing EU subsidies, says Willie Rennie.

The Scottish Liberal Democrat leader is visiting a farm in Fife today to call for compensation for farmers whose businesses have suffered from the £178 million IT failure behind the CAP payments.

Ahead of the visit, he said: “The delays are having a devastating impact right through the supply chain and we need immediate action to plug the black hole in our rural economy.”

He said the Lib Dems would offer “immediate restitution payments for farmers who have lost out”.

The SNP Government said it is working hard to deliver the payments.